LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 17 - Am I a Terrible Man?
Under the cover of night, Yin Xu and Wu Sheng made their way towards the city gate of He County. After checking three consecutive inns, they found no vacancies. Ultimately, Yin Xu offered ten taels of silver to the innkeeper, securing a middle-class room.
With the waiter delivering their meal and hot water, the master and servant shared a simple dinner. Following their ablutions, they retired for the night without further activity.
Given the single bed in the room, Wu Sheng naturally didn't have a share.
Yin Xu meditated for four hours, his meridians gradually expanding under the influence of Demonic Qi, facilitating the necessary openings. Even the Devilish Exercise showed signs of breaking through the initial stage.
Satisfied with his cultivation session, Yin Xu ceased his practice. Casting a glance at the snoring Wu Sheng, he rose and approached the window. Pushing it open, a chill wind greeted him.
“Loong'an Temple?” Yin Xu supported himself on the windowsill with one hand and leaped out. With a few swift bounds, he vanished into the night.
The winter night air was biting, the streets deserted long ago. Yin Xu released his Demonic Qi, shrouding himself in a black mist akin to a drifting cloud.
Passing through a narrow alley, Yin Xu's figure flickered, vanishing like a specter.
Shortly after, a cloaked figure emerged in the alley, scanning the surroundings before cautiously advancing.
Just as he neared a house's doorway, a sudden surge of black mist assailed him. Reacting instinctively, he channeled his inner strength, unleashing a powerful punch. However, the force dissipated without striking anything.
“Ah…” A looming visage appeared before him, wide-eyed, eliciting a startled cry.
“Am I frightful?” The young man's melodious voice, infused with an eerie allure, echoed in his ears.
Before he could respond, the youth's slender fingers gripped his throat.
“Speak. Who are you? Why are you tailing me?” The aura of a Demon Lord emanated from Yin Xu, enveloping half the alley in black mist.
The man's eyes widened in shock, unprepared for his target's formidable cultivation. Trapped and unable to move, his shock transformed into fear.
“Allow me to guess… Riverside County currently falls under the jurisdiction of the First Prince. Few would take interest in me.”
The man clenched his lips, resigned to his fate, anticipating the inevitable end.
“No need for divulgence. I'm indifferent to the identity, but gratitude is owed to whoever sent such a potent elixir,” Yin Xu remarked, pressing an icy palm against the man's forehead. Instantly, tremors wracked the man's frame.
Amidst the other's terror-stricken gaze, Yin Xu offered a faint smile, sensing wisps of Spirit Qi emanating from the man's body. With closed eyes, he absorbed the Spirit Qi into his dantian.
After a quarter-hour, the once robust youth's complexion drained, resembling an elderly figure at dusk. Save for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he might as well have been lifeless.
With a sharp crack, the man's head slumped, his body carelessly discarded by Yin Xu.
Yin Xu's eyes flickered red as his black pupils regained their composure, the surging Demonic Qi gradually subsiding.
As he prepared to depart, two figures emerged at the alley's entrance, their features obscured by the light. Recognizing them from their encounter at the teahouse earlier, Yin Xu paused.
Licking his lips ruefully, Yin Xu pondered his limited cultivation; absorbing another's spiritual energy had reached his threshold. Any further attempts would surely prove fatal.
Departing in regret, Yin Xu's velocity left bystanders in awe.
Teng Yu observed a familiar figure approaching, unprepared for the bizarre scene unfolding. Witnessing the man enveloped in a dark mist, Teng Yu remained vigilant, wary of the ominous aura.
Opting against advancing, Teng Yu maintained his position, silently observing.
Teng Yu's companion squatted beside the corpse, sensing an unsettling chill emanating from it.
Scrutinizing the state of the deceased, Teng Yu furrowed his brow, “Seems like the infamous Devilish Exercise. Could it be someone from the Evil Sect?”
“A'Si, the first prince's elite Dark Guard, yet he couldn't resist. The perpetrator must possess considerable strength,” mused the companion.
“Since we're not the targets, delving further seems unnecessary. Just exercise caution going forward,” Teng Yu advised.
“Agreed.” The companion rose, nudging the corpse aside, “What shall we do with this individual then?”
“Not our concern,” Teng Yu shrugged, departing the alley without further deliberation.
Hastening to catch up, the companion trailed closely behind Teng Yu, both vigilantly surveying their surroundings.
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